


System Shock

by jeffyartist1347



Category: Underfell - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ambiguous Relationships, Ambiguous main character to relate to, Multiple Timelines, Other, Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader is mute, Resets, Timeline Shenanigans, Transformation, Undertale Spoilers, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:34:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29057550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jeffyartist1347/pseuds/jeffyartist1347
Summary: A new monster appears in the underground a new type of elemental not yet seen.
Relationships: Monster/Monster - Relationship, Sans (Undertale)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 10





	1. System Failure

Many years ago, a monster rabbit merchant had an affair with an Ice elemental. The resulting child was a strange mix of ice and rabbit with a soul much stronger than either parent. A boss monster was born. 

Years pass and the rabbit helps their mother with the business, even helping to grow the business. When their mother inevitably died, they inherited the business and its subsidiaries, growing further and further beyond its humble roots.  Today, they are still living near their old shop home, keeping a watchful eye on the shop that they do not run, but have hired others to keep. They ponder whether they should leave Snowdin when their main reason for such an idea shows up.  A skeleton enters. 

**“** **hey, there shugar tits! how’s the shop?”** The rabbit sighs. 

“Hello Sans. Don’t you have a job you’re supposed to be doing?”  The skeleton’s perpetual grin seems to get wider.

**“i’m on my break. come on sweetheart, is that really how you greet your lover?”**

“Depends, Have you seen them?”

**“** **now that hurts.”**

“Only the worst for you.”

**“ouch, do i mean so little?** **”**

“Depends. How little is ‘hates you non-existent guts?’”

**“well, if you didn’t care you wouldn’t hate me, that’s why the most popular people in the undernet get the most hate.”**

“Fuck you.”

**“love you too, play bunny.”**

“Fuck off before I kick off your head and use it as a soccer ball.”

**“** **ooh, kinky.”** They decide to start ignoring the skeleton. H e eventually gets bored and starts to walk away.

There is a surge of electricity that goes through the entire underground causing the power to go out. 


	2. A Loss For Words

The whole shop lights flicker out. Sans turns to look up. A strange feeling goes through the air. The shock wave to Sans felt like an anomaly. 

“What the fuck?”

**“** **oh shit.** **”** Sans’ eye begins glowing brightly. 

“What the fuck was that? And don’t you fucking dare say you don’t know and then leave me here wondering  WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING? ” He rushes out the door before waving and shortcutting away. * zoirp *

“ OH FOR FUCKS SAKE! ” The power comes back on suddenly. 

“Well, at least I can see again. I swear that skeleton knows something.”

Meanwhile, in the Core, a vaguely humanoid shape materializes in a bright flash of sparkling magic and falls to the ground. It isn’t moving. 

**“fuck fuck fuck fuck they’re not supposed to start… here… the fuck?”**

Sans examines the figure laying on its side. It’s a monster that is light blue. The color is dull. ( _ Is it hurt? _ ) Sans let his eye light fall over to examine the creature. He checks the monster. No LV high magic average HP high AT average DT and no EXP speed astronomical. ‘Creature is unconscious.’ 

**“** **well... uh… it seems to be a monster…"** *sighs* " **so what? do i call this in or… i mean it’s not human… fuck… pap would want me to call it in.** **”** Sans calls Papyrus.

**“** **come on… pick up already.”**

“ WHAT THE FUCK IS IT SANS? ”

**“** **hey, pap… uh… boss… so… uh… you know the power outage?”**

“ NO SANS I HAVE NOT. BECAUSE UNLIKE YOU I DON’T LAZY AROUND DURING MY SHIFTS. ”

**“** **well fuck you then because it turns out i’m actually doing my fucking job and checking out a power outage that may have been caused by a monster.”**

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME? ”

“ I WILL LET THAT SLIDE FOR NOW, BECAUSE YOU WERE AT LEAST DOING YOUR JOB. SO TELL ME WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHERE YOU ARE .”

**“i’m at the plant. some monster is just laying here. think they might be new.”**

“ BRING THEM HERE. I AM SURE WE CAN GET INFORMATION OUT OF THEM. ”

**“** **ok ‘boss’.”**

“ I CAN HEAR THE QUOTATION MARKS SANS. JUST DO YOUR JOB. ”

*CLICK*

**“** **fine then. fuck you too.”**

While Sans was talking on the phone, someone woke up. The dull light blue shines brightly as the monster rubs its eyes, the magic of its form finally coming to life. The monster stretches and looks around. The red and blue of the lava and the technology of the core invades the creature’s sight. Static starts sparking off of them as they start to glow. They look down at themself then around. They spot someone talking to themself.

“…” They open their mouth to speak. A tightly constricted frog catches in their throat. No sound escapes. The monster touches their throat trying hard to make sounds to escape, panic grips their soul as they continue to struggle. Sans turns to the monster.

**“** **huh? oh. they’re awake… fuck.”** The panic of the lack of voice and the new situation they found themself in turns to Sans. 

“!” They pull back in shock when they notice him staring.

**“so... how about just staying there and letting me take you to my bro?”**

“...” They look confused and slightly frightened. Sans takes a step closer. The monster gets up awkwardly and scrambles away. They eventually get their footing and zip away quickly. All of the sights and feeling the monster is feeling is new and scary. They had no idea what was happening and were frightened. 

**“** **...well fuck.** **”** They look back to see if he was following. He is gone. (What?) As they were looking behind them, they ran into something ahead and fell backward. **“** **hello again.** **”** The monster's eyes widen and pull themself inward protectively. 

“!” They shield themself with their arms as sparks start arcing out of them. DF up.

**“** **what the fuck?”** Sparks fly randomly in all directions. Magic flies in nonsensical patterns like a child learning magic for the first time. The monster simmers down when the protective fit of magic runs out of steam. They seem to pant a little like they used a little too much magic at once.  **“well that was shocking.”**

“…” cocks head to the side. The mouth manifests as they try to mimic mouth movement with their fang-like smile. With each attempt to speak, the monster seems to become more stressed out as nothing comes out. 

**“now then, don’t run away again. unless you want me to have a good time.”**

"..." They look around confused, frightened, and worried, but they don't run. The monster waits and gives him a questionable look.

**“...huh… wasn’t expecting that to work.”**

"?" They are looking at him like 'now what?'.

**“uh... well… I guess… uh… just follow me. i know a shortcut.”** The monster  follows Sans reluctantly. They somehow end up in Snowdin in less than a second. Almost as if they teleported to a new location.


	3. Child-like Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> who's ready for a snowball fight?

The snow falls softly a flake lands on the elemental fizzling out. Their eyes light up as they look up. All of the magic that surrounds the winter wonderland that is Snowdin manifests a smile on their face. When they behold it in all of its glory, the monster glows a little brighter. They zip off to stand in the middle of a snow pile looking up into the sky and spin as they watch the snowfall with a sparkle in their eyes. They fall back onto the snow their shoulders bobbing in silent laughter. Getting back up they gather up snow and throw it into the sky. A delighted smile crosses their face. They start rolling snow into the balls to make a snowman blissfully unaware of Sans’s intense gaze. They put the snowman's sections together but get distracted and go to play snowball fights with the first person they see.

They throw a snowball, and it hits the target… Papyrus… Sans sockets go blank as he begins to sweat.

**“uh... boss?”**

“SANS… WHO IS THIS MONSTER?”

**“they’re the monster i was talking about on the phone.”**

“SO THEY’RE THE ONE WE HAVE TO INTERROGATE.” Papyrus smirks. The elemental is still playing in the snow, not realizing they made Papyrus mad. They threw a snowball at MK while doing the ‘come and get me’ hand wave with a smirk. MK readys a snowball with his tail he looks up. His eyes widen, he drops the ball and runs. They look confused for a moment, before turning around to see a tall monster looming over. They wave. “YOU WILL COME WITH US WEIRD… MONSTER… THING. SANS! WHAT EVEN IS THIS MONSTER?”

**“huh, i think they’re some kind of elemental.”**

“YOU THINK? I DON’T PAY YOU TO THINK, SANS.”

 **“** **you don’t pay me at all.”**

“SHUT UP SANS. I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR JOKES.”

 **“** **all i am saying is that i don’t really know. they seem like an elemental monster. quite a shocking resemblance to grillby’s make up.”**

“WELL THEN. IN THAT CASE I… WAS THAT A PUN?” 

**“no why would you think that?”** Sans smirks.

“...HMMM… ANYWAY… YOU ARE COMING WITH ME SMALL ELEMENTAL CREATURE.”

“...” They just look at him confused, but not resisting. 

“......SANS. WHY ARE THEY LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT?”

*shrug* **“** **i guess they are waiting for you to explain.”**

“FINE. WE ARE TAKING YOU IN FOR INTERROGATION.” Their eyes widen. They shake their head and wave their hands like they did nothing wrong. “RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.”

“...” They do a sighing motion but stand their ground. With a firm look on their face, they shake their head and get into a fighting stance. 

Fell papyrus’ theme starts playing. Some bones fly through the air. The attacks land eliciting a grimace from the elemental. Looking up at him with determination, they try to attack. Bolts of electricity go zipping and zag through the air towards him. All of them missed their mark. Papyrus threw some more bones, not yet feeling like it’s necessary to use his special attack. They zip out of the way frustrated but attack again anyways. Papyrus skillfully dodges out of the way. Most of the attacks are poorly manifested and lack directionality. He prepares his next attack.

*WHACK*

“OW! WHAT THE FUCK SANS?”

**“wasn’t me.”**

“WELL, THEN WHO THE FUCK WAS IT?” He turns around to find a very angry rabbit.

“Hello, Papyrus. Tell me, as I seem to have forgotten. What have I said about fighting in front of my stores?”

“IT DOES NOT MATTER I AM TAKING IN A PERPETRATOR.” She says nothing, only staring angrily at Papyrus. He feels her angry stare, even as he turns back to the fight. The monster looks at this new person. “FINE, I WILL MOVE THIS FIGHT ELSEWHERE.” Papyrus runs at them scoops them up and drags them further away from town. They struggle the whole time. Sans points his finger suggestively at the bunny monster and teleports. 

“...If that little guy misses Papyrus, I hope the attack hits HIM.” Papyrus set them down to resume the fight.

“...WAIT… *groans* THE MOOD IS ALL OFF.” They shrug. 

**“** **now what?”** The monster sits down and starts playing in the snow. Starts to draw. Looks at Papyrus’s face and draws him. Then him walking away. Leaving them alone then a happy face. They look at Papyrus after finishing the drawing.

“WHAT ARE THEY DOING?”

“ **huh, they drew you, pretty well too actually.”**

“I CAN SEE THAT.”

 **“** **i think they are trying to communicate.”** They point at Sans then draw them. First, his face with three lines coming from the mouth area then draws a generic face with an x through the mouth. 

“UH… SANS! TRANSLATE! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM TO… WELL… GREAT TO TRANSLATE SUCH SYMBOLS.”

**“no, you just don't understand them.”**

“SHUT UP SANS!”

 **“anyway, i don’t think they know how to talk.”** They point at sans, nod, and unknowingly sign thank you. 

“WAIT… IF THEY DON’T KNOW HOW TO TALK THEN HOW WILL WE GET ANY INFORMATION OUT OF THEM?” They smack their face and pull down. Pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. 

**“** **you can’t unless you want to translate pictures, or teach them how to talk.** **”**

“I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. WHAT IF A HUMAN ENTERS THE UNDERGROUND? WE MUST BE EVER VIGILANT!”

 **“** **so, what do we just let them go?** **”**

“HMMM…”

 **“** **well?** **”** Sans looks at Papyrus.

“I’M THINKING.” They get up and dust themself off and look at both of them frustrated. “YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU FOUND THEM, YOU TAKE CARE OF IT.”

 **“** **wait what? i don’t want to watch them.”**

“DO IT ANYWAY. THAT’S AN ORDER.”

 **“** **fucking fine.** **”**


	4. Order Up

Papyrus walks away. Sans is left alone with the bothersome monster. They probably go back to sitting on the ground being bored and draw something they see. Before they try to walk away, they start heading into town.

**“huh? fuck!”** Sans seems to follow them but they don’t seem to mind. They walk around looking at the signs and trying to figure things out. The concentration on their face is almost funny, but they look so exasperated. If they had hair maybe they would be trying to pull it out since they look on the verge of crying. Their stomach growls as they plop down in defeat. Sans looks at them sulking and sighed. 

**“** **come with me kid.”**

“...” The monster nods. He takes them to Grillby’s and has them sit on a stool.

**“now then…”** They turn to look at him as time seems to freeze. **“do you know how you got in the power plant?”**

“...” They tried to talk, stopping when they remembered, then shook their head.

**“hmm... do you remember anything?”** Thinking about it for a second their whole face looked shocked. They shake their head. Is their head really that empty. They feel like they should know more, but it isn’t there. Sans pauses to think about it.  **“** **you really don’t remember anything, who you are or where you come from?** **”** They shake their head. Reality seems to unpause itself.  **“** **you have a name, kid** **?”** They shrug.  **“** **huh... well can’t help you there. my name game just doesn’t have the spark. i’m just not good at coming up with shocking names. i just don’t feel energized.”**

“...?” Their eyes are giving him the what the fuck look.

**“you have no idea what i am talking about do you?”** They shake their head. **“you’re an electric elemental. You know that right?”** Grillby comes out from the back. He looks at Sans then at his new friend. **“oh. hey grillbs. i’ll have the usual. and... uh… veton? how’s that?”**

“…” They shrug. 

**“how about a menu grillbs?”** He fetches the menu to give to them. They point at the picture of the burg. Grillby goes to make the food. He comes back with mustard and a burger. Then walks over to Sans. 

“Sans, What’s with the elemental in my restaurant? A type of elemental that hasn’t existed for over a millennia.” 

**“found them in the plant.”**

“What do you know about them?”

**“not much. but what i do know is pretty shocking.”**

“Must you always berate me with your puns?”

**“ah, come on. you know my jokes are fire.”**

“ Uhg, Sans we do not have time for this. How do we even know we can trust them?”  As those two are talking, Veton is sitting there eating while tears well up at the corners of their eyes from the midst of this amazing food flavor. Sans then points to the electric elemental.

**“** **does it even look like they would hurt anyone? besides, i don’t think they know how to speak. what can they even do** **.”**

“They can not talk. What, were they born yesterday?”

**“no. i’m guessing they were born today.”**

“ Wait, really? They don’t look like a newborn. And their mental acuity seems to be that of an adult. ”

**“i don’t know. only found them today after the power outage. for all i know, electric elementals are just born fully functioning from large amounts of electricity.”**

“ Sans you know that is not how monsters work. I do not think that could not be the case, but would it not be a child? This makes no sense.” 

**“you think i don’t know that? i have no idea how this monster got in the power plant, or how they even managed to lose the ability to speak if they could, to begin with.”** Grillby sighs.

“ I think it would be a good idea to keep an eye on them. We don't know who they are or anything about them. Maybe try to teach them a new way to talk or how to if they even can.”  The door opens as another customer walks in. Grillby looks up to see who is there.  The rabbit pauses and sighs, seeing the skeleton. 

“Grillby… please try to control Sans if you would.”

“Do you think I can? I can not even get him to pay his tab. Can I help you?”

**“** **hey, what’s up sweetheart? you miss me already?”**

“You like puns right? Ok then, yes, I did miss you. But my aim is getting better. Translation, you keep it up and I’ll throw this table at you.”

“..” They smirk and finish their food trying to thank the cook with the same hand symbol.

**“** **kinky so you like it rough huh i can show what i can do with a table.”**

“Hey Grillby, can I use your oven? I’ll make sure to clean out the bones when I’m done with it.”

⚆ _ ⚆

“No violence in my restaurant.”

“Just get me my usual.” Grillby gets Tallii the usual. He sets Tallii’s plate in their usual place. The electric monster sits and watches the exchange. 

“i guess you will have to dust deal with it.”

“...” Sans shrugs and downs a bottle of mustard. Veton looks at Tallii glowing a little brighter. They look away. Grillby looks in their direction and smirks.

“And just who are you looking at like that?”

“...” Veton looks away. 

“Well? What’s with the smirk?”

“Nothing, just noticing something funny.” Grillby smirks his grin wide

“...” Veton just sits there being uncomfortable. They eventually decide to leave and bow to Grillby for the food and walk away.

“?” Tallii looks at Veton as they leave. “Who are they anyway? I mean, they’re definitely better than Sans.”

**“heh what am i chopped liver?”**

“Yes. Or I wish you were.”

**“** **wow that really cut me down to the bone.** **”**

“Fuck off.”

**“** **you are so heartless giving me the cold shoulder like that.** ”

**“icey how it is. i may never get up to warm up to me.”** Grillby sighs and points to the door.

“Are you going to let them wander off like that? Many monsters might think they are free exp.” Grillby states looking slightly concerned. 

“Yeah. Maybe you could jump in the way of the next attack. Would do me a favor.”  Sans grumbles and harshly grabs his mustard. He stomps towards the door and teleports out. Veton is walking in the snow towards the bridge. Sans follows behind. They cross the bridge carefully seeming unnerved by the drop. Eventually, they make it over then sit on a snow poff. Veton looks down at their hands examining themself feels their face and messes with their tail. They seem exhausted. They then proceed to have a temper tantrum and start kicking up snow throwing snowballs and generally just blowing off steam. Their brightness dulls down a bit when they are done. They fall to their knees and pant then fall back into the snow hands on the face as tears stream down. They stare up at the ceiling looking at the crystals for a little bit. A heavy sigh puffs out like smoke condensing into a mist in the air.

Veton sits up and places their hands on their head. They get up and head further into the snowy area. The snow bridge puzzle has not been activated and Veton falls into the abyss. Eventually, they pull their head out of the snow and see snowmen. Well, a snowman and a snow pile with a word in it. Veton looks at it and decides to make one too. They make it out of the way separate from the others as to not disturb the lovely family. They make somewhat, one that looks sort of like them but with just around featureless head. They climb up and see the ice puzzle. Then walk away, stopping once they notice a guard dog and a deer monster hanging out. Veton walks away to stop again at the puzzle.

They sigh and look at the ice puzzle before deciding to give it a try. When they fail and fall off again, Veton slams their fists into the snow. Fails again awkwardly falling after giving it another try. Sans who was following them notices the presence of a human.


	5. Deja Vu

**“** **shit. why fucking now.”** Sans appears to teleport the elemental to Snowdin. 

“!” Veton turns to look at Sans. He is sweating bullets. The human saves.

 **“** **hey Toots, i got a favor to ask of you.”**

“What is it?”

 **“take care of them, gotta shift to do.** **”**

ರ_ರ 

“Do I look like a-... and you’re gone... “ 

“!” Veton waves at Tallii. 

“Hi…” They look away awkwardly and kick up snow. “... so… you have a name?” 

“...” Veton nods.

“... You gonna tell me?” 

“...” They open their mouths and no sounds come out and shake their head frustratedly.

“So no…” Taps throat then shakes head. A breathy sigh comes out. “Oh…” 

“...” Veton nods then nonchalantly shrugs.

“So…” Another shrug as they sigh. The whole world resets.

**“** **hey Toots, i got a favor to ask of you.”**

“Wait… What? Didn’t you… What just happened?”

 **“take care of them, gotta shift to do.** **”**

“What the fuck Sans? Is this another one of and you’re gone again… FUCK YOU!”

⚆ _ ⚆ “...?”

“*angry noises* Fucking skeleton.” Veton looks down at their feet. Kicks at the snow awkwardly.

“Whatever… So… Uh… you said… well not said exactly… Uh… You can’t talk?”

“?” scratches their head.

“What?” Nods slowly taking in the information. 

“?” Sits down, their head is spinning slightly. *reset*

**“** **hey Toots, i got a favor to ask of you.”**

The human goes to fight Napstablook again. This battle had killed them a few times already. They try to cheer Napstablook up, finally enabling them to win. Frisk saves at the next SAVE point. They make it past the rest of the ruins with no problem until Torriel takes them into her home.

The monsters finally get past the part where Sans drops them off and the awkward introductions

“... is it done?” Tallii looks around like she’s looking for someone or something to happen.

“...?” Veton turns head to the side.

“Sans? I swear, if you’re still here with your stupid pranks, I’ll fucking kill you!”

They look at them slightly confused. Has this happened before? They don’t quite remember. But have a strange feeling of deja vu. Tallii sighs. 

“So…”

“?” looks over at them.

“I guess if Sans is done messing with us, we could probably find some way to communicate.” Veton nods looking excited. “Hm… Can you read?” After a moment of thought, their face falls

“...” Veton shakes their head.

“...oh… I could probably teach you… I guess.”Their eyes light up!

Veton picks up on it amazingly well it was like they have done it before, but just forgot how to. Still, it looks like they are learning it for the first time by how surprised and happy they are. They do little worksheets with the alphabet and sentence structures. Both of them work on their vocabulary throughout the night that seems to drag on. 


End file.
